Download Energy Savings Through Radiant Heat

Radiant Energy and Energy Savings
Increasing your comfort and, at the same time, saving money on
your heating bill is a winning combination. Multiple zoning, thermal
mass, off-peak rates, even heat distribution and lower temperature
settings are just some of the strategies that reduce energy bills with
radiant heating. Multiple zoning allows you to turn down
thermostats in rooms not be used. Even heat distribution addresses
heat loss more effectively. And, you will feel greater comfort at
lower temperatures, which means you no longer have to force
yourself to turn down the thermostat to save money, you will do it
automatically to be comfortable.
Heat loss from any building is driven by the temperature difference
between the inside of the structure and the outside. Conventional
systems locate registers along outside walls, under windows and in
front of sliding glass doors to compensate for all those cold surfaces.
That hot air goes up those cold outside walls, across the ceiling and
down to the cold air return. This is a great setup for wasting energy.
Radiant panels direct the heat to the interior of the space and reduce
or eliminate the excessive temperatures on outside walls and ceilings.
This can result in energy savings of 10 percent to 40 percent in most
residences and up to 60 percent or more in shops, hangars and
warehouses.
Beside comfort, safety is another major factor to be considered.
Radiant floor and ceiling heat is clean and healthy. Drafts, dust and
airborne contaminants are greatly reduced compared forced air
heating systems. Radiant floor heat is child friendly: there are no hot
surfaces for children to touch, and no hot floor vents for them to
touch or fill with toys or crayons.
Where are radiant systems located?
A radiant system can be effectively mounted on any flat surface.
Typically a radiant heating systems is either in or below the floor or
in the ceiling. The only requirement is that the surface be large
enough. The larger the surface, the lower the actual surface
temperature required. A wall radiator may have a surface
temperature of 180 ˚degrees F while an 81 degree F floor will do the
same job, only more effectively.
Radiant energy will heat the surfaces of all objects which are in
direct line of sight from the panel; that means all walls, floors,
ceilings, chairs, tables, or people which can be "seen" by the radiant
panel. Therefore, a heated ceiling will raise the surface
temperature of floors and walls, while heated floors will raise the
temperature of ceilings and walls. Air coming in contact with these
surfaces is also gently heated.
How does Radiant Energy work?
"What exactly is Radiant energy?" Hold your hand over a hot cup of
coffee and feel the heat. The logical conclusion is that heat rises.
Logical maybe, but incorrect! "Hot air" rises but "heat" can travel in
any direction. That is why you can feel the heat of the cup when you
place your hand to the side of it. Radiant energy transfer is caused by
a warm surface giving up its heat to a cooler surface.
Whenever there is a temperature difference between two surfaces,
both surfaces will attempt to equalize. Radiant energy travels through
space without heating the space itself. It only turns into heat when it
contacts a cooler surface. Our human comfort relies just as much on
radiant heat transfer as it does on air temperature, yet the majority of
by Don Mordal
heating and air-conditioning professionals think only in terms of air
temperature. As a result, Americans are missing out on a truly
comfortable living environment in their own homes or places of
business. By controlling both the air temperature and the radiant
transfer, radiant heating systems deliver a comfort that is
unsurpassed.
Radiant Heating is not about the heat loss of the room; it's about the
Heat Loss of the person in the room. If you can control the Heat
Loss of the individual, then you will feel comfortable.
Your body loses heat naturally in three different ways:
Evaporation(20%), Convection(30%), and radiation(50%).
Evaporation (20%): Sweat and Moisture - Whenever a liquid turns to
a vapor Heat goes with it.
Convection (30%): When air passes over your body you lose heat, the
faster the air movement the more heat you lose.
Radiation (50%): Your body loses heat by radiating the heat to colder
surfaces.
Radiant Floor or Ceiling heating delivers personal comfort by
controlling the radiation heat loss of a body. When surrounded by
surfaces (floors and walls) that are roughly the same temperature as
the body surface, that part of natural heat loss is controlled.
The diagram shows the Ideal
Heating Curve as it relates to
the natural heat loss of the
human body. The temperatures
on the curve illustrate the ideal
temperatures for optimum
personal comfort. The lower
the temperature at the ceiling,
the less the heat is lost through
the ceiling and the lower the
operating cost.
Radiant Ceiling Heating Radiates heat to the occupants,
walls, floors and furnishings,
the same way the sun radiates
heat to the earth. The space
between the sun and the earth
is unchanged, but the surfaces
that the radiant waves contact
are warm. The warmed objects
in turn warm the air and create
very low convective air
currents. Radiant Ceiling
Systems very effectively
address the natural heat loss of the body as long as the ceilings are
not too high or too low.
Energy Savings and Radiant Energy – ‘Continued’
Forced-Air - Since hot air rises, the air temperature at head level and above is higher than ideal, and
the closer to the ceiling you go, the warmer the air. Hot air systems do not distribute heat to the
extremities where the body needs it most. In order to meet those needs, the air must be heated to a
level that is much too hot and uncomfortable for the upper body. The choice is either cold feet or hot
heads. The temperature at floor level never reaches the desired level, and the temperature of the ceiling
is too hot. Add to this equation unnatural convection, or air movement, that can alter the heat loss
balance of the human body.
Note: The area between the Forced-Air curve ad the Ideal Curve represents wasted energy and higher
fuel bills.
Radiant Floor Heating System – Radiant floor heating comes the closest to controlling body’s natural
heat loss. The entire floor surface area is a low temperature radiator and directly warms the
individuals and other surfaces in the room.
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Heat is delivered at floor level - Where the people are.
Greater comfort at lower temperature and lower cost.
Less convective currents
Less Heat Lost at the ceiling.
Less Ex-filtration and Less In-filtration
Silent, Invisible, and Motionless
Less dust and airborne contaminants
Low Maintenance - No moving parts
Increased property values and livable space
Energy Savings of the Radiant Floor Systems vs. Forced Air Systems can be 10%-60% or even more depending on the application.
For More Information:
Therma-Ray USA / Don Mordal (612) 229-2836
[email protected]
www.thermaray-usa.com